Africa-Press – Cape verde. The resident representative of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Cape Verde pointed to the area of telephone service centers (‘call centers’) as an example of an area with potential for development in the country, to serve Portuguese-speaking countries.
“I think Cape Verde has a level of education that would allow this: it is a sector that does not require large initial investments to establish itself, could serve the Portuguese market, of some other Portuguese-speaking countries and that certainly has all the conditions to develop. ”, said Rodrigo Garcia-Verdu, in an interview with Lusa.
The person responsible explained the idea, after being asked what specific information technology services he considers could be created in Cape Verde, as a result of the government’s investment in the sector.
Noting that this is not an area of specialization of the IMF, Rodrigo Garcia-Verdu, however, drew a parallel with “similar economies” that have developed call centers.
“One of them, Jamaica, is also an island state”, with more population than Cape Verde, but with similar characteristics, he said.
It is a country that also has a large diaspora and that, thanks to a good level of education, “has managed to develop an important sector of ‘call centers’ to serve mainly the United States market”.
“We see the services economy as a sector with potential for Cape Verde”, particularly in the area of information technologies, in a country where the IMF highlights “political stability, compliance with laws and good connectivity” as assets, he said.
The fund’s first resident representative in Praia endorsed the Government’s investment in the technology sector, considering that it should be “one of the sectors to diversify the economy”.
“Not the only one, but we see potential: we are following the Government’s actions to support the sector”, he said.
The focus on digital development has been one of the mottos of the Cape Verdean Government, which is nearing completion of a technology park, built near Nelson Mandela International Airport, in the capital, Santiago Island.
The project has the capacity to accommodate around 30 companies, includes areas for a data center, among other features, and reflects the ambition of creating 1,500 jobs (direct and indirect).
Considered the “heart” of the country’s digital strategy, it also has a hub under construction on the island of São Vicente, a project that aims to transform the archipelago into a technological ‘hub’ in Africa.
The project has support of 45 million euros from the African Development Bank (ADB).
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